Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You decide to scrape off the flaking paint, then paint over the
surfaces.
Since the paint is coming loose in some areas, you ask Mrs. Townley to
watch you do an "adhesion check" of those places.
"The customer needs to understand an adhesion check. If I do a couple of
these checks, they realize either the paint is sticking reasonably well or
not sticking at all. If I put paint over the top of it, it usually aggravates
the situation and makes it worse," says painting instructor David Lick.
You have to be careful how you act with the customer.
"We have to do some preliminary checks of the surfaces in a way that doesn't
make the customer think we're working on a piece of garbage. We need
to show them that there are problems, but it's all fixable. You must
identify the problems in a very clear manner so they understand what they're
going to get and what they're going to pay extra for, too."
So after discussing the situation with Mrs. Townley, you decide to scrape
and sand the existing surface, then repaint everything. Though she's
concerned that you won't be finished by the weekend, and though it will
cost her more money, she's pleased because she knows she will be happy
with the end results.
Of course, you can only guarantee that your paint will adhere to the sanded
surface. You can't guarantee that the new paint will stick to the wall
when the old paint it's stuck on is already starting to flake off. You
explain this to Mrs. Townley both verbally and in writing.
This is a real-life decision made by painters every day.
"What you try to do is the best job you can with what you've got.
If you find something that is a serious detriment to your work, you must identify
it to the customer in a way that they will understand," says Lick.